The latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Sheep and Goats report is out. According to the report, as of January 1, 2018, the Wisconsin sheep and lambs inventory totaled 75,000 head. Breaking apart the herd into separate groups it was recorded that the total breeding stock in the badger state totaled 63,000 head, this was unchanged from a year ago. Total market sheep and lambs in the state decreased 8 percent from January 2017 with a total of 12,000 head. The lamb crop for 2017 was 57,000 head. Then the overall wool production in Wisconsin was 330,000 pounds, this was down 3 percent from last year.
Then taking a look at the sheep and lambs inventory in the United States on January 1, 2018 the entire herd totaled 5.23 million head, down slightly from 2017. Breaking the heard apart into different categories the report recorded there were 3.83 million head of breeding sheep in the U.S. on January 1, 2018. This was a decrease of 1 percent from 3.88 million head on January 1, 2017. Market sheep and lambs on January 1, 2018 totaled 1.40 million head, up 2 percent from January 1, 2017. Market lambs comprised 94 percent of the total market inventory. Market sheep comprised the remaining 6 percent of total market inventory. Then the 2017 lamb crop for the U.S. totaled 3.20 million head which was down 2 percent from 2016.
Wool production in the United States during 2017 was 24.7 million pounds, down 5 percent from 2016. The average price paid for wool sold in 2017 was $1.47 per pound for a total value of 36.4 million dollars, down 3 percent from 37.7 million dollars in 2016.
Also according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Sheep and Goats report, Milk goat inventory in Wisconsin as of January 1, 2018 was 47,000 head. The inventory was up 7 percent from January 2017. Wisconsin continues to be ranked first in total milk goats in the United States.
Then in the United States overall the total goats and kids inventory on January 1, 2018 totaled 2.62 million head, down 1 percent from 2017. Breeding goat inventory totaled 2.16 million head, down slightly from 2017. Does one year old and older, at 1.60 million head, were 1 percent below last year’s number.
Market goats and kids in the U.S. totaled 459 thousand head, down 2 percent from a year ago. Kid crop for 2017 totaled 1.64 million head for all goats, down slightly from 2016. Meat and all other goats totaled 2.10 million head on January 1, 2018, down 1 percent from 2017.
Similar to Wisconsin the milk goat inventory increased throughout the U.S with a total of 380 thousand head, up 2 percent from January 1, 2017.
Mohair production in the United States during 2017 was 725 thousand pounds. Goats and kids clipped totaled 133 thousand head. Mohair price was $5.00 per pound with a value of 3.62 million dollars.
The complete USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Sheep and Goats report can be found under Publications on the USDA NASS website, www.nass.usda.gov
